Possibly spurred on by the looming threat of Judge Carton ruling in their cases, three matters recently discussed on Legal Blog Watch have come to interesting conclusions.

1. Fake Killer Giraffes: Earlier this month, a
Louisiana judge issued a TRO requiring a publisher to take down a clearly satirical story about fictional killer giraffes. Yesterday, however, common sense was restored in the Pelican State when a district judge struck down the TRO and ordered the wildlife preserve that had obtained it to pay $500 in attorney fees and court costs. The court found that the story was satire and protected speech.

2. Allergy-Inducing Perfume: Last month, a Detroit civil servant reached a $100,000 settlement agreement with the city after her supervisor failed to address her complaints that her coworker's perfume bothered her
allergies. This week, the city of Detroit announced that it will soon install placards in three city buildings instructing employees to refrain from "wearing scented products, including ... colognes, aftershave lotions, perfumes, deodorants, body/face lotions ... (and) the use of scented candles, perfume samples from magazines, spray or solid air fresheners ..."

3. Baby Einstein refunds: Back in October 2009, the Walt Disney Co. caved in
to demands from the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood advocacy group that it offer refunds to all purchasers of its "Baby Einstein" videos because, in short, the videos will not make your child
into an Einstein or a genius. This month, Disney may have quietly gained some payback, however, when CCFC was "evicted from the Harvard-affiliated children's mental-health center in Boston that had housed and sponsored it for more than a decade" after Disney allegedly "made contact" with health center officials.

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Possibly spurred on by the looming threat of Judge Carton ruling in their cases, three matters recently discussed on Legal Blog Watch have come to interesting conclusions.

1. Fake Killer Giraffes: Earlier this month, a
Louisiana judge issued a TRO requiring a publisher to take down a clearly satirical story about fictional killer giraffes. Yesterday, however, common sense was restored in the Pelican State when a district judge struck down the TRO and ordered the wildlife preserve that had obtained it to pay $500 in attorney fees and court costs. The court found that the story was satire and protected speech.

2. Allergy-Inducing Perfume: Last month, a Detroit civil servant reached a $100,000 settlement agreement with the city after her supervisor failed to address her complaints that her coworker's perfume bothered her
allergies. This week, the city of Detroit announced that it will soon install placards in three city buildings instructing employees to refrain from "wearing scented products, including ... colognes, aftershave lotions, perfumes, deodorants, body/face lotions ... (and) the use of scented candles, perfume samples from magazines, spray or solid air fresheners ..."

3. Baby Einstein refunds: Back in October 2009, the Walt Disney Co. caved in
to demands from the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood advocacy group that it offer refunds to all purchasers of its "Baby Einstein" videos because, in short, the videos will not make your child
into an Einstein or a genius. This month, Disney may have quietly gained some payback, however, when CCFC was "evicted from the Harvard-affiliated children's mental-health center in Boston that had housed and sponsored it for more than a decade" after Disney allegedly "made contact" with health center officials.